Completing the definition assignment the first time was a very different experience to a majority of the other assignments that I have ever completed in my post-secondary education. Being an English Literature major, most of the writing that I have completed has been subjective, backed by quotes from fictional pieces, or from papers analyzing these pieces. This writing can be comprehended and interpreted in a variety of different ways, which is what originally drew me to the major itself. This assignment, on the other hand, is completely fact based, and it was difficult for me to convey the facts in a concise but thorough manner, as I felt that there was a lot that I could say or be descriptive about that was uncalled for in the assignment.

The peer review process was also difficult for me, as I had to read and analyze Samantha’s writing in a much more literal way, looking at the way that facts were delivered and if honest information was given, rather than reflecting on her analysis of a topic. This took me longer than I expected and I had to take a step back and remind myself a few times to look at it that way. When I had originally read the criteria for this assignment I didn’t realize how much of a learning curve it would be and how much I would have to put present thought and deliberation into every single word that I was choosing.

In the self-edit process, I felt as if I was more comfortable with the style of writing and that I could much more simply make the changes that needed to be made. This made the process quicker and more enjoyable, and I felt as if I was able to look over the original assignment and agree with my peer on where she advised adjustments and changes. The process really helped me review and reflect on writing in a different way than I had before and I feel as if it will help me further my writing education and help me learn about all these aspects of writing from a different perspective than I had before.